A Carrion Death

Introducing Detective Kubu

In the aftermath of the murder of an anonymous victim, assistant superintendent David Bengu begins his career on Botswana, where his convivial passions and determined methods earn him a local nickname that likens him to a hippopotamus.

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I give this book only a 1-star rating. Its a murder mystery / food review book that ends without loose ends tied up clearly. The authors seemed to have tired of writing by the end. And, yes, it has a weirdly placed sex scene towards the beginning (very graphic) that doesn't meld into the story line very well. The protagonist, a very fat detective, is constantly eating and drinking alcohol. The authors make sure you know every detail about the beverages he drinks and how his food is prepared. Throw in a murder every 10-12 pages and scenery of southern Africa and you have the mix. Bo-o-o-o-oring.

This is book #1 in a mystery series featuring Assistant Superintendent David (Kubu) Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department; the book was originally published in the US, where one of its two South African authors spends much time, and not (as one might expect) in South Africa or even in the UK; the book has a wealth of Botswanan atmosphere but there is also a quite unnecessary American slant to the writing that is clearly aimed at making American readers feel comfortable, such as casual mention of “napkins” (a term largely restricted to the US though becoming very common here as we become Americanized) and the casual and unexplained mention of a Minnesota university and other things American, as well as talk about Fahrenheit temperatures and distances in feet and miles; I mean, this book is set in a former British territory in Africa and not in New York; on that score the novel deserves a score of 4 but the story itself is worth a seven and so it gets a better overall rating than all those many Americanisms would otherwise earn it.